8
THE MOANING OREGONIAN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1901.
LEAGUE ORGANIZED
A Law Enforcement Society
Launched.
ROBT LIVINGSTONE PRESIDENT
Atldrcxnes by H. W. Scott, Rabbi
Stephen S. "Wine and Dr. Edsnr P.
Hill Executive Council of Lay
men and Ministers.
The Law Enforcement League was
formally launched and a permanent or
ganization effected at a largely attended
and Influential meeting last night. In the
gymnasium of the Young Men's Christian
Association. The constitution and by-laws
were largely signed by the members, and
dues paid.
H. TV". Scott was chairman and Rev. Dr.
Stephen S. Wise secretary. Mr. Scott, on
taking the chair, said:
Chairman' Address.
By request I am here, to preside at thU
meeting. I overcome my repugnance to ap
pearing at public meetings, that I may have
opportunity to make some remarks that I
trust will be deemed fit at this time. Tet
these remarks will be very brief.
The object of this association, as I under
stand It. Is to bring the moral forcea of this
community to support of decency and order,
at least In outward appearance, and, as may
be hoped, by reflex action on habits and cus
toms more or less vicious and offensive to
morality. Extinction of vice is an Impossibil
ity. Suppression of its grosser forms is, to an
extent, practicable; and there are vices which
lose much of the quality of evil. In proportion
as they lose their groasness. Familiarity with
vices, their continuance without rebuke, check
or protest, does infinite ei'll. It tends to con
fusion of ideas of morality; It causes the young
to lose the line of distinction between evil and
Its opposite. They who at first fear evil or
abhor it, seeing it often become familiar with
it. then cease to regard it at all as evil. This
is the argument for repression of the outward
manifestations of evil.
I have attended some of the meetings of the
committee under whoso direction the constitu
tion of this association has been formed, and
I think I may say the movers entertain no
Utopian 1-Jea. The purpose Is not extreme,
therefore not impracticable. Pressure on the
moral and civic sense for enforcement of de
cency and order in the external and public
life of the community is the leading thought;
reminder to individuals of their personal duty
goes with it, as a means to an end. It is no
transcendental scheme. It Is plain and prac
tical. Results may be expected. Results, In
deed, ha'e been reached already. Open gam
bling has been suppressed in Portland.
Of this duty of citizenship every person who
feels his moral and civic responsibility should
bear his part. I am willing to take mine,
both for myself and for my business; Indeed,
I have borne mine, as I could, during these
many years; and now I grow old. We differ
somewhat among ourselves as to method, and
even as to principles of the work. For myself,
I will say I was so reared as to come at an
early period of my life to the belief that the In
dividual should always be held to responsibil
ity for his own conduct, and that he has no
right to plead In extenuation of his wrong
doing that he was tempted, and therefore fell.
Hence,' I do not, as I think, lay so much
stress as some do on the duty of society to
the individual; and besides, I believe that idea
pernicious in many of its results, for the
r.Tong-doer is taught thereby continually to
plead It or appeal to It for his excuse or ex
culpation. Xevertheless, society has a right to
strike at open evils, and it must do so. There
is, however, I think, too strong a tendency to
excuse those who are said to be "led to ruin"
by others. Temptations, allurements to vice,
will always exist. They are inseparable from
the conditions of man's moral existence.
There has been complaint, I am aware, that
the newspapers of Portland have not been suf
ficiently active or nearest in the work of civic
morality. Views on this subject differ, I sup
pose, as a consequence of our different ways
of viewing the principle of personal respon
sibility on one side, and responslblity of so
ciety and government on the other, as I have
Intimated already. Besides, I can say that no
business sacrifices so much to uphold the
meral side. In these contentions against vice,
evil and error, as the newspaper. It is con
tinually boycotted on all sides, for the stand
It takes on various questions where the Inter
ests or prejudices of considerable numbers of
people are Involved. "We expect it, yet we
keep steadily on in our course, feeling that we
are under obligations to pursue the right as
we see It. let the consequences be what they
may. The newspaper could, however, make a
great deal more money by being a less moral
newspaper. People who would go across the
street to avoid hearing something that is Im
proper will eagerly buy a paper that has it In
print, and they will keep that paper care
fully, show it as frequently as. possible, lend
it out under strict promise that it shall be
returned, and perhaps lay It away In some
safe place, to be re-read In after times. You
see here what the conscientious editor has at
all times to contend with. He knows all the
time he could sell more papers if he were less
particular about the contents, and get far
more money for advertisements. The daily
newspapers of Portland have endeavored to
keep up this standard of propriety, of moral
ity, and they have an advantage herein
through lack of active local competition. The
more newspapers there are in a community,
the greater the pressure to catch readers by
a lowering of tone and by sensationalism. The
dally newspapers of Portland will never be so
moral again, so careful as to their tone and
contents, after the .era of vigorous competi
tion shall set In. For every newspaper must
earn enough to support it, or it must die, and
most money is to be earned by publication of
light, frivolous, sensational and even Immoral
newspapers. There are advertisers not a few
who base their estimate of the value of news
papers to them entirely on the number print
ed, regardless of what Is In them, or where
they circulate. The temptation, then, to lower
the tone of the newspaper Is very strong; and
in cities large enough to support several con
siderable newspapers, the tendency of the tone
Is downward, and the few that try to maintain
it have but small circulation, and are published
with more labor than profit. I mention these
conditions because the present seems to me as
good a time as any to set forth this feature
of the relations of the newspaper press to sub
jects of serious import, especially in the do
main of social and moral reform. In a larger
city, a work like that In which this association
is engaged would not have the co-opcratlon of
the press to the extent that It has In Port
land. Enough of this; perhaps more than enough.
What I have said is but one more illustration
of the fact that human society. In any degree
above savage conditions, is a thing of infinite
complications. The immense variety of Irreg
ularities and excesses which society has to
contend with, 1 generates within itself, by
natural law. They are the product of man's
social nature. Man is gregarious. Most per
sons like contact with the crowd. Few have
solitary dispositions. It would not be best for
mankind if many had it. But every impulse
of man's social nature, uncontrolled, runs Into
abuse. This association is dealing merely with
outward effects. The only reform for man is
reform from within.
Of the problem before us. therefore, we are
dealing only with the limbs and outward
parts. "We are trying tc give society, in its
extornals, a little appearance of decorum. But
some mark of virtue on Its outward parts will
not suffice. The source of power for virtue lies
far behind all such efforts as this. It lies In
parental duty; In religious and moral instruc
tion: In the family; In the church; in social
customs; In business requirements. The subtle
forces that make for continuance of the race
are the most powerful of all in their domina
tion of man's nature. Society should use
them, for moral ends, to the utmost. Next Is
the pressure that enforces sobriety and moral
ity In business and iudustry without which
profitable business and effective Industry are
impossible.
"We are making a Law Enforcement League.
But enforcement of law Is not all. It Is, in
deed, but a very small part of the work of
making a sound basis of social and civic
morals. The sentiment or purpose that lies
behind law. and at times endeavors to express
itself through law and enforce its will through
law in which it often falls Is the real agency
of regeneration. That sentiment or purpose Is
a Joint product of culture and growth; and it
has, as I think, small reason to .place its de
pendence on statutes, which will not be obeyed
unless It pleases the community to obey them,
and when that condition is reached they are
little needed.
But. as I said at the outset, this associa
tion has a rational object namely, to bring
the moral forces of this community to support
of decency nnd order In our social and polit
ical life, at least In outward appearance. The
profounder work of regeneration within Is the
more arduous, as It is the more important.
Enforcement of law Is well In Its way, even
necessary and ever necessary; but it is the
spirit that makes laws, that must be nur
tured. In all ways. Foundations He In char
acter; nowhere else. The rest Is but hay and
stubble, and the boast of it but the cracking
of thorns under a pot.
But I must not pursue this further. Other
speakers will address you. I Introduce Dr.
Stephen S. "Wise:
Rnbbl "Wise's Speech.
Rev. Dr. Wise was warmly received as
he stepped on the platform. He said:
The morning after the gambling resorts in
this town were closed by order of the police
officials, a nlckel-ln-the-slot machine was pla
carded with the words, "Not dead, but sleep
ing." "We, who gather here tonight, resolved
to secure the enforcement of the law and to
make of open and unrestricted gambling a
thing of hideous memory, if not of oblivion;
to announce to the forces of vlclousness and
disorder that we are neither dead nor sleep
ing. The crape hung in Jest over the nickel
machine may stay In Its place, for nlckel-ln-the-slotism
shall never be resurrected to life,
while the Law Enforcement League exists and
remains true to Its purpose. The work, planned
by the Law Enforcement League, should be
hailed with delight, even by those to whom
the names "reform" and "reformer" are of
unsavory odor. "We mean to do away with the
need of civic reform. So that they who hold
reform measures and reformers to be super
fluous will do well to Join hands with us.
The work to which we hereby determine to
give our thought and care is not particularly
attractive, for we are to band together to be
come "watchdogs on every 'kind of abuse and
crime." Shall we do only such things as are
pleasant and easy? Plutarch tells us that
Epamlnondas, great as he was, did not scorn
to take the office of chief scavenger, and that
when Antlsthencs was rebuked for busying
himself with trivial things, he replied: "This
service. I say. is not for myself; It is for my
country."
The need for such work as we are about to
undertake arises out of the very natural pop
ular government. Good citizenship Implies
more than the casting of a ballot once or
twice a year; it presupposes a steadfast Inter
est and an unfailing loyalty to the highest
welfare of the city, state and country. In an
Ideal popular government the officers, elected
and appointed, carry out the will of the peo
ple. In a gox'ernmcnt, which has not passed
the experimental state, the officials, being little
more than human, require to be encouraged
and supported. Sometimes even, outside of
Portland, to be compelled or coerced Into ful
fillment of their duties. In a word, to help
honest officials, and to watch such as are
prone to stray from the straight path of per
sonal Integrity and civic honesty. It becomes
necessary to organize between elections and
to stay organized. Mark Twain lately said
that In every town forty-nine men are clean
and decent, and the fiftieth man Is a rogue.
Because of the frequent passing of power and
rule into the hands of the fiftieth man. is that
th forty-nine men do not come together and
organize, whereas the fiftieth man organizes
himself. The forty-nine are unorganized and
disunited; the fiftieth Is a compact and mobile
organization. Portland purposes to reverse this
order of things, and to make lawbreakers
"lame and Impotent" by organizing law-upholders
Into a homogeneous and effective
whole.
Be It understood, from the very beginning,
that we seek to avoid all entangling political
alliances; that we would not be enmeshed In
the net of politics. The work of the Portland
Law Enforcement League Is to be wholly out
side the rphcre of political action. Still, It
must be clear that If the need should arise we,
who pledge ourselves to this cause, would over
look or Ignore all party lines and affiliations
In order to place such men In office as would
give us a clean, well-governed city.
Our chief task in to wage an educational, aye.
moral campaign. "We must teach our fellow
citizens who are blindly Ignorant or who will
fully blink at facts that open and unpunished
violation of the law demoralizes a community,
leading by easy stages from disrespect and
contemptuous violation of the law to every
manner of evil practice and vlclousness. Jacob
O. Rlls, the tenement - house reformer, has
told the story of the Raines law game played
by little boys In the tenement-house district of
New York City. The Raines law provided that
no drlnking-place should be licensed within
200 or 300 feet of a church. This law was
more honored In the breach than in the ob
servance, and "gangs" of boys would go
around with tape measures In hand to dis
cover wfioons nearer to churches than the lim
its prescribed. Mr. Rlss rightly considered
this pastime a kindergarten for lawbreakers,
the first step on the way ending in a crim
inal disregard of the sanctity and inviolabil
ity of the law. The moral campaign, to which
we shall revert, must not merely bring home
to the citizens the folly of widespread notion
that open violation of the law, such as Is Im
plied In unrestricted gambling or any uncon
fined and unregulated vice. Is helpful' to the
commercial Interests of a city, but also make
clear that, even if this imaginary benefit were
actual, it could not begin to make good the
moral loss and deterioration which result from
the mlasmlc conditions In a "wide-open city."
In order to make the labors of the Law En
forcement League permanent and of abiding
value, we must engage upon on educational
campaign, thus preparing the way for a moral
crusade. The men who undertook the lead a
little while ago In compelling the city officials
to enforce the law were told. "You are spoiling
the fair name of our city." We are not
spoiling Portland's fair name; we mean to
have Portland deserve and keep a good name.
When Ahab came upon Elijah, he asked. "An
thou he that troubleth Israel?" Elijah an
swered, "I have not troubled Israel; but thou
and thy father's house, in that ye have for
saken the commandments of the Lord." If
Portland's cood name. Is to be sullied by the
evil and vlclousness, we must have the high
courage to address ourselves to those In pow
er, to those tolerant of evil conditions, as
spoke that noble subject to his erring King,
"Oh, whilst I can vent clamor from my
throat.
I'll tell thee thou dost evil."
We do not wish men to lend nominal sup
port to our cause, because, as some had put it.
they "cannot afford to stay out," We appeal
for their moral sympathy and material aid, be
cause their civic pride and real patriotism will
not permit them to see Portland In the clutches
of the devil.
The complaint was made against the pro
posed enforcement of the law that such en
forcement would shut out poor men from the
right to gamble, enjoyed by the rich without
molestation. Unjust, cruel discrimination! To
deprive the very poor of the privilege of being
robbed of their last farthing!
I take it that I must not use the word
"robbed," for are we not assured that when
gambling Is open and licensed. It is honest
and above suspicion? Honest gambling! White
shadows! Black sunshine! A square circle! In
fact. I know that. In order to meet taxes or
fines by the Police Department, some gambling-houses
resorted to downright swindling
games.
We can afford to enforce the laws. I know
that city officials, here and elsewhere, being
urged to enforce one law or another, have
replied. "After election we will change things;
we can't afford to lose any votes now." The
Law Enforcement Leagc proposes to have the
laws enforced, regardless of elections and
votes. Votes mean nothing to this "party,"
which does not depend for Its existence or con
tinuance as a power upon votes, victory at the
polls, "political patronage." the euphonious
Latlnlsm for the plain Saxon, "Jobs" or
"spoils."
We will not be dissuaded from our efforts by
those who croak. "The laws cannot be en
forced and are not meant to be en
forced." Cannot? We shall see, within rea
sonable human limits. Are not laws enacted
with a view to enforcement? Then shall it be
our aim to prevent more "fool bllls" from
being placed upon our statute books. "You
cannot enforce the laws" Is dinned Into our
ears. 'Tls true, we cannot enforce all the
laws as we would. But we can do something.
We can hold down lawbreaking and the law
less elements, thus making "vice less inde
cent and shameless." Borrowing the thought
and imagery of ,one of the leaders of the
moral uprising n New Tork City, shall we
permit the vile stream to overflow Its banks
and bear the little children away on Its ter
rible flood? Eternal vigilance is itlll the price
of freedom from civic corruption and civic
rottenness.
The crowning argument In favor of a lalsses
falre policy with respect to -municipal law en
forcement Is that "business sentiment Is fa
vorable to a wide-open city." The same ma
ligned business sentiment would have permit
ted a brutal prizefight in Cincinnati a fort
night ago, for the sake of .making good the
deficit in the mismanaged treasury of the
Saengerfest Bund, or have renewed the lease
of life of the Louisiana State Lottery when
that establishment betrayed Its criminal whole
sale thieving by its ability and willingness to
pay more than $30,000,000 Into the State. Treas
ury for a. renewal of its expired charter. We
must have the courage to hurl at the teeth
of those who cry, "Enforcement of the law
hurts our business." Our highest business Is
to make and keep Portland a clean, well-ordered,
aelf-respectlng community. Felix Ad
ler pleads eloquently for spiritual dominance
In city government an element of spiritual
cleanliness. This is but another name for law
enforcement, for civic righteousness, our In
spiration and our aim.
Dr. Hill's Remarks.
Rev. Dr. Edgar P. Hill, of the First
Presbyterian Church, was the next speak
er, and he sold In part: "I feel glad that
the steps of Dr. Wise were directed to
ward Portland. The cause of righteous
ness Is very much strengthened by his
being here. It has been said that when
certain men hear about reformers being
near them, they have an uncomfortable
feeling. No one likes to be called a 're
former.' There is a certain odium at
tached to the word that the best men are
unwilling to have associated with them
selves. The word Itself calls up a cer
tain type of character for which we may
entertain a certain degree of respect. But
somehow, we prefer to have the other
man have the label put on him, even
though we may be Interested In the same
movement.
"Why Is It that even an earnest con
scientious person dislikes to be called a
reformer? For the same reason, perhaps,
that no woman likes to be called a mother-in-law.
She Is quite willing to be called the
mother of a certain man's wife, or of a
certain lady's husband, but she does not
take to the idea of being called any one's
mother-in-law. It Is too suggestive. She
may be altogether angelic herself, but
she realizes that a certain type of person
has come to be associated In the popular
mind with that term, and she does not
care to have her character brought Into
question.
"The ideal reformer, according to comic
newspapers. Is a vinegar looking creature,
with a broad-brimmed hat, long, black
coat, a white tie, black gloves, and an
umbrella under his arm. Or, It may be
a severe-looking female, with short hair
and spectacles, addressing a weary-looking
audience of females and effeminate
males, or parading the street with a
hatchet. We have come to feel that the
typical reformer Is not practical In his
methods. We are here tonight for a spe
cial purpose. A splendid work has been
done already. Now we must conserve the
results which have been gained. There
fore It has been decided to organize a law
and order league. I can think of three
benefits to accrue from such an organ
ization. "First, It will enable us to bring to
bear the sentiment of the community upon
a given point. There are more good men
in the town than bad.
"Second, such an organization will as
sist In the detection of crime. The best
police force in this country Is apt to be
lax In performing its duty unless conscious
that the law-abiding cltizents are vigilant.
"Third, we must have some such or
ganization In order that funds may be
raised to employ men whose business It
shall be to represent officially this move
ment. The merchant cannot take the
time to go prowling around cigar stores
and saloons to see If gambling is going
on. and no more can I. But some one
must do this, and he should be paid
for it.
"The complaint has been made by cigar
dealers and the owners of certain prop
erty, and restaurant men. that business
has seriously fallen off, since open gam
bling has stopped. But even if some lines
of business, which has been thriving on
tears and blood, have suffered, we know
that the homes of Portland are safer to
day than they were two months ago.
Many a wife tonight lifts her heart to
God In gratitude for a happier, purer, and
more prosperous home.
Ofllcera Elected.
On the call of the chair. Rev. Dr. Wise
read the constitution and bylaws, and
Rev. Dr. Blackburn moved their adop
tion. Alister Mackenzie proposed that the
by-laws should provide for the extinction
of the S. S. S. "Society of Sneaking
Scoundrels." A discussion ensued, led by
Rev. Dr. Morrison, that Instead of mem
bership In the league being confined to
Multnomah County, that citizens from
other counties should also be admitted to
membership. A solution of the difficulty
was offered by Rev. Dr. Wise that (a)
there should be an active membership
open to residents of Multnomah County,
and (b) an honorary membership, open
to residents of Oregon, euch membership
not conferring upon them the right to
vote at meetings of the league. The mo
tion was agreed to.
The constitution and by-laws, as amend
ed, were agreed to, on motion of J. T.
Ross. On a report presented by the com
mittee on nominations, these officers were
unanimously elected as officers of the
league:
President, Robert Livingstone.
Vice-President, Rev. Dr. A, A. Morrison.
Secretary, Oscar Cox.
Treasurer, A. E. Davis.
Executive Council H. W. Scott, W. M.
Ladd. F. McKercher, E. C. Bronaugh, A.
L. Mills, James Falling, Rev. Dr. S. S.
Wise. Rev. Dr. E. P. Hill, Rev. Dr. H.
W. Kellogg. Rev. Dr Alexander Blackburn
and Rev Arthur W. Ackerman.
Rev. Dr. A. A, Morrison followed In an
amusing speech, and congratulated the
committee on the successful organization
of the league. Dr. Blackburn urged those
present to Insure the success of the league
by signing the constitution and by-laws
before they left the hall, and the response
was hearty. Those intending to Join the
league can sign the necessary papers to
day, at the rooms of the Young Men's
Christian Association.
DAILY CITY STATISTICS.
Marriapre Licenses.
Daniel Brunger, 42, Margaret E. Wells,
39.
K. K. Baxter, Margaret A. C. Mathew
son. Building: Permits.
Mrs. Martha Moore, two-story dwelling)
East Eighteenth, between East Ankeny
and East Ash, $1509.
R. I, Zeller, two-story dwelling. East
Eighteenth street, between East Ankeny
and East Ash; S1G00.
Albert Bitner. repairing house on East
Mill street: 1275.
H. C. Schneider, two-story dwelling,
East Seventh street, between Thompson
and Tillamook; $1500.
Albert Olson, cottage, Broadway, be
tween First and Victoria; $700.
L. Rassmusson, cottage, Mississippi
avenue; $1000.
Contagions Diseases.
Lola Harvey, 2S5 North Fifteenth street;
scarlatina.
Elenor Jonson, 940 Mississippi avenue;
diphtheria.
George Golden, Twelfth and Marshall;
scarlatina.
Louise Chalmers, 451 Alder street; scar
let fever.
Fred Bcldin, 393 Sacramento street;
measles.
William Crozier,' CSS Frederick street;
measles.
William' J. Roberts, 730 East Ankeny
street; measles.
Bennett Williams, 2S6 North Twenty
first street; measles.
Moderta Waterman, 167 North Twelfth
street; measles.
Birth Returns.
February 19, to the wife of Arthur
Schuan, of San Francisco, at St. Vin
cent's Hospital, a girl.
February 13. to the wife of Fred E.
Werllng, 753 Savler street, a girl.
February 19, to the wife of A. V. Wam
berger, 127 Sellwood street, a boy.
Death Retnrns.
February 17, Sarah J. Mason, 60 years;
residence. Salem; apoplexy.
February 18, William Marshall, 73 years;
Woodlawn; la grippe.
INDIAN WAR VETERANS
THEIR EFFORTS TO SECURE GOV
ERSME5T PENSIONS.
T. A. "Wood Tells a. WaaalngtoB Post
-' Heporter What the Old Soldiers
' Did for Their Country.
' The debt of gratitude owed by the
United States to the survivors of those
who, half a century ago, fought with the
aboriginnl red man for possession of the
great plains and rich slopes of the far
West Is well set forth by T. A. Wood,
one of a delegation now in the city to
ask Congress to grant to the veterans of
the Indian wars the same right to pension
carried by service In the Mexican, Civil,
and Spanish struggles. Captain Jason
Wheeler. 80 years of age; Lieutenant Wil
liam B. Stlllman. H. D. Mount, George W.
Riddle, L. S. Wood, J. C. Cooper and
T. A. Wood, all elderly men, compose the
band of representatives of these veterans,
whose numbers have been reduced by
disease, old age and the effects of wounds
from 7000 to barely .1000. The delegation
Is at the St. James Hotel and is receiv
ing energetic co-operation in its efforts
from the Senators and Representatives of
Oregon, Washington and other states of
the Northwest, says the Washington Post
of February 11.
Talking of what the veterans of the In
dian wars had done for the United States,
T. A. Wood yesterday reviewed the events
of the great Indian wars between 1S47 and
1S56. He said that prior to the incursion
of the white men on the Pacific Coast,
the territory now occupied by Oregon and
Washington was the great center of popu
lation of the Indian tribes. On the Coast
the Indians numbered. In 1S55, within the
boundaries of what Is now Oregon. 400,000
souls. At the same time the total num
ber of white persons west of the Mis
souri River was less than 3000.
In 1S47 the fragment of this white popu
lation living in Oregon was compelled to
take up arms to defend Itself from ex
termination by the Indians. At that time
there was not $200 In the whole colony,
outside of the Hudson's Bay Company and
the Methodist and Presbyterian missions.
The provisional government was Indebted
to the amount of $4079 72, and there was
only $43 70 in the treasury. Wheat, at 50
cents a bushel, was legal tender for all
debts.
Roused by Indinn Raids.
Raids of the Indians, accompanied by
acts of debauchery and murder, had
aroused the settlers from time to time,
said Mr. Wood, but the climax did not
come until December S, 1S47. On that
day Governor Abcrnethy called for vol
unteers to fight the redskins. A meeting
held the same evening discussed the mas
sacre of Rev. Marcus Whitman, his wife,
and 12 other persons, and the maddening
fact that the Cayuse Indians at that
time held In captivity 57 women and
children. That night one company was
enlisted, with H. A. G. Lee as Captain,
and on the next day the little band was
on its way toward the dalles of the Colum
bia River to check the Indians, who were
about to Invade the colony. Other
companies were soon enlisted, and in a
few weeks the provisional government of
the Territory of Oregon had 448 volunteers
in the field, or about one-half of all the
white men west of the Missouri River.
It was generally accepted as a fact at
that time, sold Mr. Wood, that the Hud
son's Bay Company had been supplying
the Indians with guns and ammunition
for" years, and the redskins were better
prepared for war than the whites.
"There were no stores of ammunition in
the territory. It required 12 months to
communicate with Washington City.
There was no money in the country, and
the territorial government had no credit
at home or abraod, as It was an organi
zation independent of the United States
Government, and there were easily 100 In
dians to every white man.
"The Hudson's Bay Company could not
or would not credit the territory for sup
plies, and they had substantially all there
was to be had west of the Missouri
River," said Mr. Wood. "Hon. A. L.
Lovejoy, Governor Abernethy and Jessie
Applegate secured $2000 or $3000 worth of
supplies by giving their notes for the
same to the Hudson's Bay Company, Rev.
William Roberts, of the Methodist mis
sion, gave the territory $1000. The Pres
byterian mission advanced $500, and the
merchants of Oregon City loaned $1000.
Besides these sums, individuals loaned a
few dollars. Wheat was secured by issu
ing territorial bonds and used as a fund
to make purchases of other Items.
"The proclamation of Governor Aber
nethy provided that each volunteer should
furnish his own horse, saddle, bridle,
blankets, gun, and such ammunition as he
was able.
"Joe Meek started In the dead of Winter
overland to Washington for aid. Jesse
Applegate and associates started overland
to California to see if help could be found,
but after nearly perishing in the Siskiyou
Mountains they abandoned the trip. Jo
seph Meek returned March 2, 1S49.
"The Immediate cause of the first In
dian war was the massacre of Marcus
Whitman and others. The 57 captives re
ferred to were ransomed by Peter Skeen
Ogden, of the Hudson's Bay Company, by
the payment of 53 blankets, 50 shirts, 10
guns, 10 fathoms of tobacco, 10 handker
chiefs, 100 bullets and a quantity of pow
der, and were brought down the Columbia
River In bajteaus, reaching Oregon City,
January 10, 1S4S.
Beginning of the Cnmpnign.
"Of the army then in the field Cornelius
Gllham was Colonel; James Waters. Lieu
tenant-Colonel; H. A. G. Lee. Major; A.
L. Lovejoy, Quartermaster-General, and
John Palmer, Commissary-General. Sev
eral sklmishes were had with the In
dians near The Dalles and on the Des
Chutes. In which a number of white men
were killed and a greater number of In
dians. The most notable skirmish in this
locality was where Major Lee and 21 men
had a running fight with a number of
Indians on the east side of the Des Chutes
River. Lieutenant Stillwell, one of this
party, became separated, and being se
verely wounded in the left hip, did not
reach camp until daylight.
"The second day after this engagement
the entire command, which numbered less
than 400 men, engaged a large party
of Indians at Willow Springs. The In
dians had built a breastwork of rocks on
top of a high ridge. The command suc
ceedej. after a desperate fight, in driv
ing these Indians away. From this place
they moved to Wells Springs, where they
camped for the night. Here they found
the Indians greatly Increased in numbers.
"As the command took up the march
early the following day the scouts report
ed the Indians had formed a line of bat
tle on a ridge a short distance In advance.
This is comparatively a level and open
country to the east of Wells Springs, and
not a hard country to maneuver In. The
ridges are not so steep nor are the val
leys so deep but that horsemen galloped
at will. The Indians were massed on
horseback, a full half mile deep, and a
mile and a half In lengtn on the right
and front. Each one of the 10,000 or more
were yelling as only an Indian can yell.
Newell and Palmer, Indian agents, tried
to talk with the Indians, and, If possible,
make with them a treaty of peace, stipu
lating only that the parties who were
guilty of the massacre of Whitman and
others should be delivered up, but soon
gave up their efforts.
Saved by Death of Medicine Man.
"Two Indians come up close to our line
on the right, and, after shooting a dog,
rode back to the butte. Tom-tlce-Tom-let,
an Indian chief, then rode to within 40
yards and shouted to Captain Tom Mc
Kay, with whom he was well acquainted:
I will kill you!' McKay said: "All right.'
The Indian jumped from his horse and
kneeling down fired at McKay, missing
him. He wounded a Mr. Knox in the
foot. McKay fired about the same time
and killed the Indian chief. The Indians
gave a long-drawn-out yell of rage and
astonishment and- immediately withdrew,
leaving a guard of two or three hundred.
Tom-tlce-Tom-let was their great chief
and medicine man, and the Indians
thought a bullet could not harm him.
hence their astonishment at his death."
Lieutenant Stillwell, one of the party
at the St. James, told of the ensuing
campaign as follows:
"We had orders from the first not to
fire, but let the Indians bring on the bat
tle. In a short time we heard a drum, to
the right, then another and another. In
a few minutes our front and right were
alive with those howling devils. They
were led this time by a chief known as
Five Crows. He and McKay exchanged
shots, and Five Crows was wounded.
"From this the fight began along the
entire line. The Indians massing their
forces on our right, the Colonel sent the
cannon to our relief. The bullets flew
around us like hall, but our boys never
flinched, but loaded and flred like veter
ans. When the cannon was dlcharged,
which was loaded with a log chain, you
ought to have seen the Indians scatter.
This was the first time they had ever
heard a cannon, and were always ready
to vacate their position fo give room -for
the chain to alight. The Indians attempt
ed to flank us on the left Captain Max
on, to protect us on his left, withdrew
his force from the right, leaving a gap in
our lines. This was soon discovered by
the Indians. Three thousand of them
formed in a V shape with the chief In
the center, came thundering down on us.
aiming to enter this gap and break our
ranks. Colonel Gllhlm, seeing this move
ment, drove one of our teams pell-mell
to the opening. The Indians, taking this
to be another cannon, wheeled to the
right. When I saw this well-formed com
pany of demons charging down on us, my
heart stood still. Life never seemed so
sweet as it did when I saw they were
checked.
FlKhtinpr Without Food or Water.
"In rsponse to a command to charge,
we went with a yell and drove the Indians
out of the first and second hollows. Our
lines were two deep; theirs much longer
and 20 or 30 deep. Seeing we were not
able to come up with them on horseback,
we sent our horses to the rear, and tried
It on foot. In this way we drove them
from one hollow to another until they
turned to the right and ascended the
buttes on Butte Creek. Here we halted
to await the arrival of our teams, which
reached us about sundown. Tired, hun
gry and thirsty, we camped here for the
night, without anything to eat or water
to drink; In fact, we had nothing in the
world In our wagons to eat except flour,
and we had no water to make bread or
wood to cook with If we had dared to
build a fire. One-half of our comrades
stood guard while the other half tried to
sleep two hours on, two hours off. There
were only a few tents, and the majority
of those not on guard had to walk about
to keep from chilling to death. -
"The Indians did everything they could
that day to bring on a battle, except
firing. We reached the Umatilla River In
the afternoon, having been nearly two
days without food to eat or water to
drink.
"The Indians camped one or two miles
further up the stream. We had some poor
cattle, which we slaughtered. We cooked
our meat without salt and made our bread
with cold water straight. We discovered
the next day that the Inaians had slipped
FAREWELL PIANO SALE
We are now selling PIANOS and ORGANS at greatly reduced
prices. Concert Grands, Parlor Grands, Baby Grands, Uprights
and Squares, the very best makes, such as
nil WsBjM P P 1
The MASON
HAMLIN and
ESTEY
...ORGANS
MEM j .mM 9nHi
11 li II
ii'wk X S 9
I )MMSJ5g?MHi wTBIBIBBrH 'fflnjHiHPiir
SLi iBiEiEifafliiiiiiM'i 5MHe1!m!PSSs9 HMKMTjy
IwB Ami' IBBm
away from their camp the night previous,
Where they had gono we did not know.
After a day's rest, we took up our march
for Fort Walla Walla, which we reached j
on tne aiternoon oi toe aay ioiiowiuk.
Herv we dug up a supply of ammunition
the Ljdson's Bay Company had hidden.
There " were no provisions, however, to
be had.
"On March 1, 1S48, we moved up the riv
er and camped a short distance above
Pen-Pen Mox'3 village. On March 3 .we
moved to the old mission house, where
Whitman was massacred, and after gath
ering up the bodies of those massacred
and burying them, we built a stockade,
which required some days.
Trials of Territory Defenders.
"Captain Garrison's company, who were
out on ?. reconnolssance, were out five
days without food of any kind, and then
they subsisted for two days on the en
trails of the beeves we had killed at Uma
tilla. "In a few days our command started
out in a northwest direction, in search of
the Indians, who were discovered crossing
the Columbia River to the north side, two
r -n.u, n.a.11 HIloH W frnthprpH lin lhf
loose horses and cattle that we found on I
tho range, which had the effect of bring- j
lng on an engagement that lasted three I
days. It has been estimated that fully
20.000 Indians were engaged in this fight.
The volunteers were out of provisions be
fore the conflict began, and after two ,
days' fighting ran short of ammunition, j
Every moment of all this time the war-
whoop could be heard of tne tnousanas
of wild men, as they circled about and
charged time. after time this little army
day and night. The captured horses were
Anally abandoned. In hopes of Inducing
the Indians to withdraw, but it nad tne
opposite effect. The Indians interpreted
this action to Imply that the whites were
defeated. They were greatly encouraged
and made more daring dashes. After they
had delivered their shots, with their
bodies swinging to the sides of their
horses, they passed out of gunshot to re
load. Thus a constant flre was kept up.
Only a small portion of the Indian could
be seen, as he kept his body sheltered
by his horse.
"One writer who was present says that
'when the Indians charged on U3 the earth
would shake as If moved by an earth
quake. While we were In Two Canyon,
north of Walla Walla, the valley was lit
up by the constant firing. After getting
out Into the plain, on our retreat to the
Touchet, we had many of our men won"
ed and many of our horses killed. When
we came In sight of the Touchet River,
the Indians attempted to cut us off from
the ford. To prevent this, 50 of our men
ran a horse race with about 300 Indians
to see who would get to the ford first.
The Indians dropped Into the stream be
low the ford. They secured a position
sheltered by brush, where they were en
abled to do us a great deal of damage.
Had It not been for the bravery of Major
RInearson. Captain Thompson and a num
bei of others, a great many more of our
men would have been killed than were.
As It was, thev were not driven out until
a number of our men were killed and
many wounded, and a great many of the
Indians were left In the field. So many
of them were killed at this place that they
were discouraged from pursuing the army
at this time farther.
" 'This was a great victory for the
Knabe
Hardman
Fischer
Ludwig
Straube
V4E have hundreds of Pianos and Or
" .gnns to sell immediately. We leave
Pertland for our new quarters soon. No
time to lose. Na reasonable offer re
jected. j& j& & J& J&
white man, and the moral effect on thd
other tribes was good. The guilty Cayuses
who had taken part In slaying Whitman
and others left the country for safety.
The Walla Wallas. Cayuses, Spokanes,
Flat Heads, Yakamas and other tribes
gained a wholesome respect for the white
man that they had never before enter
tained. The Cayuses, as a people, were
financially ruined. Their prestige as a
nation was gone; their leaders went Into
exile.
Gave Their Country a Kingdom.
"This is only a dim outline of the be
ginning of the most remarkable warfare "
that ever white man was engaged in. a
warfare that lasted intermittently until
1S55. These men laid here a foundation
of civil government which is now firmly
established on the North Pacific Coast.
These were the brave men who crossed a
desert and established an empire. They
have proved by valor that while they had
courage to take this vast territory west
of the Rocky Mountains, they also had the
bravery, when the uprising came and
their right to the possession of the land
was in question, to hold It against all
odds.
"In the Civil War more men were killed
in an hour's time in several engagements
than were lost by this colonv in estab
lishing civil and religious liberty on. the
Pacific, but the 1S00 who perished at the
hands of Indians were 12 per cent of the
entire population then living west of the
Missouri River, and, while we have had
war where more men were slaughtered,
there never was a war fought against
such odds without money, with little am
munition, and without National support.
They were absolutely ignored by the gen
eral Government; In fact, they have been
since criminally neglected by the United
States Government.
"It was these men who acquired the
title to this Northwest Territory from the
British, adding four magnificent states to
this Union, and after 52 years, they stand
today substantially as the only veterans
of the United States without compensation
and without pension: these men from the
first until the present day have been neg
lected by tho United States Government."
Addition to Ocoboclc Building.
Plans for the second story of the Oco
bock building, on Grand avenue and East
Alder street, have been completed. There
will be a largo hall and a number of of
fices covering an area of 100x90 feet. Tho
addition will have a foundation indepen
dent of the first story. This is necessary
for the reason that the walls of the first
story are on the ground and have no foun
dation. The cost of the Improvement will
be about $5000. A committee of Multno
mah Camp, No. 77, Woodmen of tho
World, Is negotiating with Mr. Ocoboclc
for the lease of the second story.
Will Elect One Director.
It was erroneously stated in the East
Side news the other day that Mount Tabor
school district. No. 5, would elect two
directors March 1, In place of H. B."
Adams and L. F. Normandln. A director
to succeed Mr. Normandln will be elected.
Mr. Adams does not retire until 1002.
A little medicine of the right kind, taken
at the right time. Is Invaluable. That
means Carter's Little Uver Pills, and take
them now.
And Many Other
Celebrated
Makes...,
Band
Instruments
A large European ship
ment of band instruments
has just arrived. They
will be closed out at cost,
with freight and duty
added, at the following
prices, to-wit:
Bb Cornet $ 6.85
Bb Cornet, d'ble water key 7.75
Eb alto 9.15
Bb tenor -1 1.05
Bb baritone 13.00
Ebbass 19.75
Bb tenor slide Trom
bone 6.90
Bugle (with Bb crook) 2.25
Bb Clarionet, 13 keys .. 10.50
Bb Clarionet, 15 keys .. 14.75
THE
WILEYB.ALLEN
CO.
Removal Sale now going
on at
209-211 First St., Portland, Or.
The Gilbert & Jones Co. will become our
successors here at an early date, and wo
will then move to our new Quarters In
San Francisco.
I m rt II It II II II I I 111